Obama’s Iftar

I wonder what the food was.

The other day President Obama issued a special message to the Muslim world for the annual Ramadan holiday. Tonight, before leaving Wednesday for the rest of his stay-cation at Camp David, the president hosts a White House banquet to celebrate the same holiday.

Invited guests include three Cabinet secretaries, numerous diplomats, five members of Congress including the first Muslim, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, and the chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization mission.

THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody have a seat. Thank you. Well, it is my great pleasure to host all of you here at the White House to mark this special occasion — Ramadan Kareem.

I want to say that I’m deeply honored to welcome so many members of the diplomatic corps, as well as several members of my administration and distinguished members of Congress, including the first two Muslims to serve in Congress — Keith Ellison and Andre Carson. Where are they? (Applause.)

Just a few other acknowledgements I want to make. We have Sen. Richard Lugar here, who’s our ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Where is Dick Lugar? There he is. (Applause.) Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. (Applause.) Rep. Rush Holt is here. Thank you, Rush. (Applause.) Have we found you a seat, Rush? (Laughter.)

And most of all, I want to welcome all the American Muslims from many walks of life who are here. This is just one part of our effort to celebrate Ramadan, and continues a long tradition of hosting iftars here at the White House.

For well over a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection. It’s a time of service and support for those in need. And it is also a time for family and friends to come together in a celebration of their faith, their communities, and the common humanity that all of us share. It is in that spirit that I welcome each and every one of you to the White House.

Tonight’s iftar is a ritual that is also being carried out this Ramadan at kitchen tables and mosques in all 50 states. Islam, as we know, is part of America. And like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity — with families that stretch back generations and more recent immigrants; with Muslims of countless races and ethnicities, and with roots in every corner of the world.

Indeed, the contribution of Muslims to the United States are too long to catalog because Muslims are so interwoven into the fabric of our communities and our country. American Muslims are successful in business and entertainment; in the arts and athletics; in science and in medicine. Above all, they are successful parents, good neighbors and active citizens.

So on this occasion, we celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan, and we also celebrate how much Muslims have enriched America and its culture — in ways both large and small. And with us here tonight, we see just a small sample of those contributions. Let me share a few stories with you briefly.

Elsheba Khan’s son, Kareem, made the ultimate sacrifice for his country when he lost his life in Iraq. Kareem joined the military as soon as he finished high school. He would go on to win the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, along with the admiration of his fellow soldiers. In describing her son, Elsheba said, “He always wanted to help any way that he could.”

Tonight, he’s buried alongside thousands of heroes in Arlington National Cemetery. A crescent is carved into his grave, just as others bear the Christian cross or the Jewish star. These brave Americans are joined in death as they were in life — by a common commitment to their country and the values that we hold dear.

One of those values is the freedom to practice your religion — a right that is enshrined in the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. Nashala Hearn, who joins us from Muskogee, Okla., took a stand for that right at an early age. When her school district told her that she couldn’t wear the hijab, she protested that it was a part of her religion.

The Department of Justice stood behind her, and she won her right to practice her faith. She even traveled to Washington to testify before Congress. Her words spoke to a tolerance that is far greater than mistrust — when she first wore her headscarf to school, she said, “I received compliments from the other kids.”

Another young woman who has thrived in her school is Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir. She’s not even 5’5” — where’s Bilqis? Right here. Stand up, Bilqis, just so that we — (laughter) — I want everybody to know — she’s got heels on. She’s 5’5” — Bilqis broke Rebecca Lobo’s record for the most points scored by any high school basketball player in Massachusetts history. (Applause.)

She recently told a reporter, “I’d like to really inspire a lot of young Muslim girls if they want to play basketball. Anything is possible. They can do it too.” As an honor student, as an athlete on her way to Memphis, Bilqis is an inspiration not simply to Muslim girls — she’s an inspiration to all of us.

Of course, we know that when it comes to athletes who have inspired America, any list would include the man known simply as The Greatest. And while Muhammad Ali could not join us tonight, it is worth reflecting upon his remarkable contributions, as he’s grown from an unmatched fighter in the ring to a man of quiet dignity and grace who continues to fight for what he believes — and that includes the notion that people of all faiths holds things in common.

I love this quote. A few years ago, he explained this view — and this is part of why he’s The Greatest — saying, “Rivers, ponds, lakes and streams — they all have different names, but they all contain water. Just as religions do — they all contain truths.”

They all contain truths. Among those truths are the pursuit of peace and the dignity of all human beings. That must always form the basis upon which we find common ground. And that is why I am so pleased that we are joined tonight not only by so many outstanding Muslim Americans and representatives of the diplomatic corps, but people of many faiths — Christians, Jews and Hindus — along with so many prominent Muslims.

Together, we have a responsibility to foster engagement grounded in mutual interest and mutual respect. And that’s one of my fundamental commitments as president, both at home and abroad. That is central to the new beginning that I’ve sought between the United States and Muslims around the world. And that is a commitment that we can renew once again during this holy season.

So tonight, we celebrate a great religion and its commitment to justice and progress. We honor the contributions of America’s Muslims, and the positive example that so many of them set through their own lives. And we rededicate ourselves to the work of building a better and more hopeful world.
So thanks to all of you for taking the time to be here this evening. I wish you all a very blessed Ramadan. And with that, I think we can start a feast. I don’t know what’s on the menu, but I’m sure it will be good. (Laughter.) Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.) ###

@ suyuufi
So if your stated concern is that the wars being waged in Pakistan and Afghanistan are killing Muslims, how do you account for your support of rebels causing a humanitarian crisis in Somalia? Millions of displaced MUSLIMS are starving and at the risk of disease as we speak as the result of misguided fitna filled conflict in Somalia, yet your likes continue to wax philosophical in support of combatants because of their supposedly divine intentions. Some consistency is necessary if your willing to view events such as the posted one through such absolutist measures, otherwise your concerns come off very dishonest.

Ha, the situation in Somalia is far more complicated that you are painting it. When the Islamic courts took over it was overwhelmingly supported by the somali people. It brought stability to a country suffering from the disease of tribalism. THEN the west backed Ethiopia invasion and African Union invasion into somalia. SO technically the source of this suffering in Somalia is actually the west, the kuffar. What do expect the courts to do when faced with foreign invasion…not defend their people?

Obama is an American Politician and he may have a great personality and excellent verbal communication skills but that shouldn’t over shadow the injustice done by him and his cronies.

Zookeeper I’m well aware of the conflict in my motherland, no need to give me a brief historical review. The Courts as they were previously represented is an entity that simply no longer exists and was disbanded through the efforts of foreign troops. The current coalition of Al Shabab/Xisbul Islam etc only represent certain elements of the courts, none of which were similar to the all encompassing reconciliatory promise of the UIC. There refusal at providing reprieve or negotiations and continuing an all out struggle that has almost entirely resulted in innocent civillian Somali deaths, and massive displacement has almost entirely taken place AFTER the Ethiopian withdrawal. The fact is however that the only participants in the CURRENT conflict are Somalis on both sides. The foreign troops involved in the current conflict are minimal at best, the casualties and deaths have been ENTIRELY Somalis. The latest suicide bombing killing a TFG minister killed over 40 innocent bystanders ALL somali, in order to kill the politician. The fact is they do not recognize the Somalis they are fighting as Muslims, a view that I cannot ever reconcile. Now whether you agree with this interpertation is a whole different issue, however one thing that I know without a doubt is that the people of my birthplace are SICK of fighting, SICK of suffering, SICK of starving, SICK of displacement, all the hands of power hungry men on both sides attempting to hide their ambitions by using religious pretences. Both Al Shabab and TFG troops indiscrimanetly shell civillians areas in Mogadishu this is a fact, and the vast majority of those killed, displaced, and currently faced with the biggest humanitarian conflict on the Earth are all innocent Somalis. I not once defended Western intervensionism through their Ethiopian puppets, nor did I once claim that the TFG is innocent of any of the claims put forth, however the fact is the people on the ground and those not influenced through the disease of tribalism can easily view that this conflict has the symptoms of fitna, with no righteous side represented. Both are after one thing and one thing only and this is power, simply looking at their disregard for the human life or honor of some of the most suffering people on the continent. @ suyuufi The reason I mentioned that reference was that I believed that you had made a comment to that extent in old thread I read on this website, if I’m mistaken forgive me for that claim. My entire reasoning behind the post was that consistency needs to be made in the cynicism of Muslims as it is easy to target the likes of Obama in their dishonest political motives, however much more difficult to point out the same problems within our communities.